How to get clean, safe and great tasting drinking water wherever you may roam.... by Phil Millard
Cryptosproidium, giardia, bacteria, pesticides, pesticides, aluminium, lead, asbestos ... when you pour yourself a glass of water, have you considered what you may actually be drinking?

Now we're not trying to alarm you, but we all kow the great health benefits of drinking filtered water ... not to mention that it tastes a whole lot better.

RVers especially need to take care as they often travel through areas where the quality of the water supply is unk own, particularly in the outback or while bush camping, where the only water source may be a nearby creek bed. Therefore, water filtration is a must for any RV traveller exploring this great country. The good news is they're easy to install, maintain and use. We've checked out a range of water filter systems that are suitable for caravans and motorhomes. While there are many different systems out there ranging from a simple filter jug through to reverse osmosis, we found that under-sink units are the best for RV's. They don't clutter up any valuable bench space, they're simple to use, easy to maintain, and you can rest assured of crystal-clear, clean drinking water wherever your travels take you.

In the Buyers Guide we've focused on different filtration systems, but it's the cartiridges inside that do all the work. There are a variety of filter cartridges available, and they all do a different job.

Filter cartridges are rated in microns - the smaller the micron rating the finer the filtration. One micron is one thousandth of a millimetre, so we are talking about some pretty small measurements. As an example, 20 microns is quite coarse (for sediment removal only). 10 microns is a medium filtration, five microns is fine and one micron is extra fine.

Some cartidges will deliver the cleanest water, but need sufficient water pressure to do the job - something to be aware of if you've only got a creek bed handy. Others will only remove sediment and bad taste, but are simple and easy to use anywhere.

Many filter cartridges are interchangeable, while some are brand specific - we suggest you find yourself a system that can take different brands of cartridges to save yourself the hassle later on.

A filtration system is only as good as the cartridge inside, so you need to carefully consider where you'll be travelling and what quailtiy water you desire. Always seek the advice of your local water filter specialist and choose the appropriate cartridge for your needs.

With bacteria, giardia and cryptosporidium parasites a main concern when travelling in isolated areas, we recommend the use of a twin system to filter all water as it comes into your storage tank. Most parks have mains pressure which will allow the use of 0.5 micron or even -0.2 micron, when bacteria is a concern. Note: cartridges are interchangeable. When bacteria is a concern, a DOULTON ULTRACARB CERAMIC/CARBON CARTRIDGE IS THE ONLY RECOMMENDED CARTRIDGE

The Purestream `Caravan' Twin has a 3/4" inlet and outlet to allow connection to standard hose fitting. This unit is portable and is simply attached to the caravan park water source when filling storage tank and stored away when not in use.

We recommend the use of a 0.5 Matrikx PB1 or Multi Pure
0.45 micron cartridge when used on chlorinated town supply. You may wish to have a Doulton Ultracarb (Code 78CCER) on hand when chlorination is not present to ensure removal of any pathogenic bacteria, e.g. salmonella, cholera, etc

CREEK OR DAM WATER .. There wiil be times when there is no water supply except for a creek, lake or even a dam. These unknown water sources can harbour dangerous pathogens like Giardia, Hepatitis and Salmonella and risk gastro illnesses if you drink them. With no pressure, you will be unable to use your filter .... SOLUTION a PURESTREAM TRAVEL FILTER